Joseph dixon



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.. J DIXON REFRIGERATOR.

(No Model.)

No. 438,348. Patented 05. 14, 1890.

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J. DIXON. REFRIGERATOR.

No. 438,348. Patented Oct. 14, 1890.

Wneaaea:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH DIXON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

REFRiGERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 438,348, dated October 14, 1890.

Application filed April 16, 1890- Sen'al No. 348,271. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOsEPH DIXON, of the city and county of New York, in the State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Refrigerators, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to an improvement in refrigerators, in which the ice is supported above the chamber for the reception of food, and has for its object the provision of adjustable partitions by which the refrigerator may be subdivided into compartments, the introduction of valves for regulating the circulation of the cold air, and the improvement of certain details of construction which will make the structure as a whole simple, convenient, and effective.

A practical embodiment of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view of the refrigerator in vertical section. Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a front elevation. Fig. at is an enlarged view in detail of a register and the portion of the refrigerator-wall in proximity thereto, and Fig. 5 is a top view of the same.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures A represents the outer casing of the refrigerator, (here shown of rectangular oblong form,) and a a suitable water-proof lining.

The interior of the refrigerator is provided with transverse partitions B, conveniently of sheet metal, having its front and rear edges turned, as shown at b, to form flanges for the attachment to the walls of the refrigerator and extending from the floor-line O of the refrigerator up to a point sufliciently below the top of the refrigerator to leave room for the storage of the ice. The partitions B are connected in pairs by covers or tops D of sheet metal or other suitable material, supported by joists d, and forming supports for the ice E. The spaces, partially surrounded by the partitions B and ceilings D, may be further inclosed by floors F, or may be left open at the bottom. In the form shown there are three such inclosed spaces, the two outer ones being provided with bottoms and the middle one being left open. The inclosed spaces so formed are for the reception of commodities to be preserved, and for convenience they are subdivided by cross-partitions f and by vertical partitions f The spaces Gbetween two adjacent storage-chambers and between the outer chambers and the walls of the refrigerator are for the circulation of the cold air from the neighborhood of the ice. Below the floor-line Cthere are arrangeda series of driptroughs Hone for each storage-section each being-provided with an overflow-pipeh, which extends from a point above the bottom of the trough down through the bottom to a common waste-pipe h. 7

By the above arrangement the cold water dripping from the ice will be retained at a predetermined depth in the troughs H, and may be utilized to cool jars or bottles I of liquids set therein.

For the purpose of admitting a circulation of cold damp air within the storage-chamber or not, as may be desired, a valve (here shown as a register-valve) is provided, consisting of a sliding plate K, provided with a short stem is at one end, which enters a bearing L,

and with a stem is at the opposite end which projects through a bearing Z in the wall for purposes of operating the valve. The sliding plate K is provided with a series of openings 10 which when the Valve is slid in one direction register with a corresponding series of openings in the partition B; but when the valve is slid in the opposite direction the portions of the plate K between the openings will close the openings in the partition B. Guide-lips k are secured to the paitition B at the opposite edges of the plate K to keep it seated. Aspring Z is located between the end of the plate K and the bearing L, the tension of which tends to hold the plate K in position to open the valve. The stem 70' projects through the wall in such a position that when the door for gaining access to the storage-chamber is opened and swung back it will engage the end of the stem and slide the plate K in the direction to close the valve, the tension of the spring Z being to re-open the valve when the door is closed. The outer end 70 of the stem is is jointed, so that it may be turned back out of a position to engage the door, if so desired. It is also evident that any well-known and suitable catch might be employed to hold the valve permanently closed, if so desired.

To separate the interior of the refrigerator into two or more compartments wholly separate from one another, retaining lips or lugs 'm are provided at the upper edges of the trough H and at or near the lower edges of the partitions B to receive the opposite edges of removable plates M. The ceiling portion of the lining a is also provided with retaininglugs m in position to correspond with similar lugs on the upper corners of the storage-chambers to receive removable plates M.

Access to the ice chamber or chambers and to the upper and lower storage-chambers is had through doors N in the front wall. After the ice is once stored and the door closed, the opening of the doors to gain access to the storage-chambers for food, 850., will not afford communication between the outside air and the ice-chambers save only in opening the door to such chamber as shall have an open bottom, and then because of the tendency of the warmer air to rise, and communication being only under the bottom of the partitions B it will not seriously affect the temperature of the ice-chamber.

The cold water, as the ice melts, will trickle down the exterior of the storage-chambers and will keep their walls cool, while the ice in direct contact with the ceiling will keep that cool. The valve in the wall of the lower storage-chamber will cause such chamber to produce a wet or damp cold or a dry cold, as found desirable, while a compartment separate from the rest may be provided to keep certain food substances from becoming flavored by the presence of others.

The refrigerator thus constructed is capable 40 of adaptation to a variety of uses, and is at the same time very simple in its construction.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A refrigerator comprising an outer casing, several independent storage-chambers spaced from one another and from the interim of the casing, an ice-chamber located above and common to all the storage-chambers, water-receptacles disposed over the hot tom of the refrigerator beneath the several storage-receptacles, the said water-receptacles having communication with one another and with the outer walls of the storage-chambers,

and escape-pipes leading from the several water-receptacles at points above their hottoms, substantially as set forth.

2. A refrigerator comprising an ice-chamber, storage-chambers located side by side below the ice-chamber and spaced apart, and removable plates held between the bottom and top of the storage-chamber and the bottom and top of the refrigerator, substantially as herein described.

3. The combination, with the storage-chamher and means for circulating cold air along its exterior, of a spring-actuated valve inthe wall of'the chamber, and a door to the chamber, the valve-stem extending into position to engage the door as it is swung open, substan- I FREDK. HAYNES, F. G. BARRY. 

